China Claims U.S. Behind Massive $13 Billion Bitcoin Theft
China has accused the United States of being behind one of the biggest cryptocurrency thefts in history — a $13 billion Bitcoin heist. According to Chinese officials, the massive theft took place in 2020, when hackers allegedly stole more than 127,000 bitcoins from a major mining operation known as LuBian.
The Chinese government claims the attack was not the work of ordinary criminals but rather a highly organized effort backed by the U.S. government. Investigators say the stolen bitcoins were later linked to funds seized by American authorities in an unrelated criminal case, raising suspicions about how the U.S. obtained them.
In that case, U.S. officials had accused a foreign businessman of money laundering and fraud, but China now argues that some of the same bitcoins involved were originally taken from LuBian. The lack of a clear explanation from the U.S. about where the funds came from has fueled China’s belief that the theft was a state-sponsored operation.
This new accusation comes at a time of growing digital tension between the two countries. In recent years, both nations have accused each other of hacking, espionage, and cyberattacks targeting government systems and private companies. The Bitcoin theft claim adds yet another layer to the ongoing rivalry between the world’s two largest economies.
